Tag Archives: FAQs

If you’ve missed hearing from me, it’s because I’ve been hard at work writing Lost in Scotland, my contemporary romance that will be released this November. I have exactly 34 writing days left until my deadline, and it’s crunch time. But I’m taking a break from my lovely, flirty, hilarious characters to answer some of your questions and share some things about my writing with you.

First of all, in case you haven’t seen it yet, here’s the cover.

And here’s the synopsis. But here’s the thing about writing a synopsis when you’re still writing the book: things change. A little. So it’s not entirely accurate but it’s close enough to hopefully get you hooked.

Nothing ever goes right for Skye Cameron, thanks to her family’s Scottish curse. She protects herself from the worst of it by following certain rules, like no traveling, avoiding all things Scottish, and never doing anything she loves. Everything changes on her nineteenth birthday when her sister calls, begging Skye to come to Scotland to help her break the curse. But the travel curse is strong with Skye, and without the help of a handsome stranger with a wicked sense of humor, she wouldn’t make it past airport security, let alone to the Scottish islands where the future of her family hangs in the balance. But if getting there is more than half the battle, getting there without falling in love is the war of her life. Lost in Scotland is a contemporary romance full of adventure, humor, and heart.

1. Why am I writing a contemporary romance? Why is it set in Scotland and not somewhere else? Will I ever write a historical story again?

Answer: Three years ago I went to Scotland for the first time, after obsessing over it all my life. I am half Scottish and I have always wanted to visit, but I swore I wouldn’t go until I could afford to go with my husband, who has never been anywhere in Europe and so he couldn’t understand my desire to sell all of our possessions and move there. So thanks to all of you for buying my books, we were able to afford a trip and I fell head over heels in love with Scotland. I love England. England is pastures and green meadows and cultivated gardens and great estates. But once I went to Scotland, it was like England was the ho-hum boyfriend I had just been putting up with until I met the man of my dreams. Scotland was crumbling castles, rocky coasts, soaring mountains and green valleys, fairy pools and sea caves and wild, blustery skies. I was a goner. I couldn’t stop thinking about it. And I knew that I had to write a story set there.

So why a contemporary story? First of all, it’s the story I want to tell. I tried to set it in a historical time period and my story yelled at me to stop pushing it into a box that it didn’t fit in. So I made it contemporary and I fell in love with my characters and their struggles and I love the freedom that writing a contemporary story gives me. There are so many restrictions when you write a historical novel. So many rules to consider, so much research to get just right, so many obstacles to ever getting your hero and heroine alone together. I was really excited to write a story where anything could happen.

The second reason I decided to write a contemporary Proper Romance was to prove that it could be done. Last summer I visited Barcelona and spent a day with my Spanish publisher, Libros de Seda, doing interviews and book events and signings. It was amazing and I loved every second of it. One question I was asked over and over again was if I thought a contemporary romance could be clean and successful. “Absolutely,” I said. “I have no doubt about it.” But people doubted me. They had not read a contemporary clean romance before. They thought that it was only the Regency time setting that allowed for the clean nature of my other romances. I considered it a challenge, and my wonderful Spanish publisher backed me up. They encouraged me. They believed in me. They wanted me to give it a try. And so I am.

Will I write more historical novels? Yes. I’m sure I will. But my most important consideration is to write the story that lives and breathes inside of me and begs to be told.

2. Will Lost in Scotland be available as an E-book? Will it be available in foreign translations?

Answer: Yes, Lost in Scotland will be available as an E-book as well as an audio recording. At this point, only my Spanish publisher has bought the translation rights to this story and has a beautiful cover ready. I’m hopeful that my other foreign publishers will buy it also. Here’s the Spanish cover:

3. Will Heir to Edenbrooke ever be released as a physical book? Will you finish writing Philip’s story?

Answer: As of right now, my publisher is only selling Heir to Edenbrooke as an E-book. I’m not certain if this will happen, but I am thinking about finishing the story from Philip’s perspective after I finish Lost in Scotland. I am confident that if it’s a complete novel it will be released as a physical book. I’m even hopeful that my publisher will agree to package the two books together (Edenbrooke and Heir to Edenbrooke) as a really nice hard cover copy. I’ve been begging them to print Edenbrooke in hard cover, because so many of you have requested it, but it hasn’t happened yet. Maybe if enough of you are interested in it, they will agree.

4. Can you give me writing tips? Can you visit my school? Can you blurb my book? Can you send me signed bookmarks?

Answer: I would love to do all of those things. Honestly, I would. The hardest thing I’m trying to accomplish right now is learning how to balance the demands of being a full-time mother to five kids, a supportive wife of a very busy husband, a sister and daughter and friend, a volunteer in my community and church, a housekeeper and cook and chauffeur, and just a regular human being who occasionally needs to not work so that I don’t have a psychotic break. I have never been busier. I have never been stretched so thin. So while I would really love to respond to your emails and wonderful messages, I just can’t. I hope you know it’s not for a lack of interest or caring on my part.

Okay, that was a long break! I’m off to take my daughter dress shopping for her first school dance. Then I’ll be back to dreaming of Scotland.